Okay, wow.  What a day. There's way too much to cover but I would love to hear feedback about one part of the deal-- "The main source of support is the Warranty Commitment Program, which has been designed by the Treasury Department to ensure that customers buying a new vehicle will still have a warranty even if GM or Chrysler slides into bankruptcy and is forced to restructure -- or, even worse, liquidate its assets."  

I thought this sounded like one of the best things to come out of everything (as a consumer and an industry worker-- and maybe should have come sooner), but I'm watching the news and seeing that this has come up against a lot of flack.  What are your thoughts about it?  I want to hear. 

I am exhausted and my feet are killing me, but I wouldn’t have missed NADA for anything.  I joined the industry just over three years ago, coming from a corporate background, and I am so glad I did.  The industry gets a bad rap, and dealers in particular I know, but I have rarely ever been around so many nice, smart, motivated, friendly, fun people.  I feel honored and excited to be a part of it.  Sharing knowledge and having fun together is a great combination and will certainly help lead to success.  Getting to meet and spend time with Jared in person was also a real thrill.  He’s doing great work with making this online knowledge exchange community happen. 

Thanks to everyone I had the pleasure of meeting and I hope to see you again soon!     

Summary

I recently wrote about my new car purchase this summer. I've thought about it some more and decided to break it down into key points, again all very simple ideas, but not always practiced. Just want to get another consumer perspective out there!

I really think the salesperson was the key, although all the elements contributed.

He was friendly, neatly dressed and well spoken.

He knew the product and answered all of our questions.

He applied no pressure to us at any time.

He just talked to us like intelligent human beings.

He made some personal small talk and jokes without being invasive or crude.

He also didn't treat me differently because I am female.

He followed up with requested information when and how he said he would.

He introduced us to other staff and management members who were also very friendly and professional.

In short, I felt his manner was more that of someone working in customer service, rather than someone in sales.

Two days after we bought the car, he sent a hand written personal note thanking us for our business.

I'm glad I bought the car from the dealership. I would gladly make another purchase from them. And, I have also already recommended the dealership to others.

And isn't that the main goal of dealerships? From the consumer perspective, the positive experience came from relatively simple things and may have already led them to additional sales. And, they've got my future business for sure!

Despite the grim sales numbers we all see these days, I recently bought a new car. And… it was a good experience overall, quick and pleasant. (I wish I didn't have the bank note, but other than that!) As a consumer who also works with the automotive industry, I've been thinking about what made this a good experience to share a recent customer perspective with dealers. I think what made it positive was all relatively simple and what we read about every day. But I also know that most people I know don’t consider buying a car a pleasant experience, so I'll share my story just to get the message out there again.

To begin with, I (like the vast majority of automotive consumers) did a few weeks of online research through Edmonds and other sites, so I knew the make and model I wanted: a 2008 Mazda Speed 3 (zoom, zoom!).

What Made My Car Buying Experience Positive

1. The dealership was easy to find online. When I searched for "Mazda" "My Town," they had top organic search rankings and were also listed at the top of the Google map business listing.

2. Their online inventory was easy to search. Their site also had live chat, which I used to get fast answers to a couple of questions I had, such as: Is the Mazda Speed 3 available with a sunroof? Is black the only interior color available? It was very fast and helpful!

3. The physical dealership was clean, bright and modern, with fun colors and furniture, even in the offices. It felt very comfortable and a little exciting.*

*(I have been in some very depressing looking dealerships before, and I can tell you that the environment did not make me want to buy a car-- I just wanted to get out of there!)

4. At the dealership, friendly staff members greeted us immediately without being intrusive. I was with my husband and we had decided ahead of time that I would do most of the talking because I have worked with dealers. The main salesperson we worked with, Matthew, was perceptive and directed most of the communication to me, while being polite to my husband. We took a test drive and loved the vehicle. We got an estimate, which was competitive, but the APR offered on the loan was way too high. (My husband and I both have outstanding credit scores.)

5. Matthew said he would find out if any lower rates were available and follow up via email. He sent me a lower rate the next morning. It still wasn't low enough, however, so we talked about it on the phone. I let him know that we really wanted the car, but the interest rate was a deal breaker. (Because the vehicle price offered was competitive, the finance rate was of the most concern to us.) Again, he said he would see what he could do. He researched other finance offerings and finally came back with a rate that was low enough. We went in that afternoon and bought the car.

The whole process was really pretty fast and easy. I would (and have already) highly recommend the dealership and the sales person. And I would purchase another vehicle from the dealership. Isn't that the name of the game?